Say It Again
by TrimbyJean
Summary: Or "The four times Rachel Berry asked Noah Puckerman to 'say it again', and the one time he asked her.
1. I Want to Go to Sleep with It in My Head

Say It Again

Also known as "The four times Rachel Berry asked Noah Puckerman to 'say it again', and the one time he asked her.

"Say it again, Noah." Puck shook his head and laughed a little at the tiny brunette in his arms, clinging to the front of his shirt and looking up at him with her big brown eyes. They were stretched out in the back of his truck, and had been having a pretty kick-ass make-out session (she finally let him touch her boobs), when the words sort of just slipped from his mouth.

"_I love you." He looked down at her in surprise, and she blinked back up at him in shock. He felt heat creeping up his face (badasses did not get embarrassed), and quickly tried to play it off._

"_I mean, I love what you're doing, babe." He leaned back with a lazy smirk, hoping he'd picked up enough acting from her to survive this unscathed. She was still looking up at him, and a smile was working its way on to her face._

"_I know, Noah." She pressed her lips to his neck and snuggled closer. "I love you, too." They lay in silence before she looked back up at him. "Say it again?"_

_He laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "Love you, Rach."_

They'd made out a little, in between her breathlessly asking him to "say it again" against his lips (it was kinda fucking hot, he wouldn't lie). Finally, his phone beeped, reminding him that it was a half an hour until her curfew, and that he had to get her home. While she whined in protest, he helped her back into the front of his truck and pulled out of the school parking lot (there weren't a lot of secluded places to make out in Lima). She was right up against him the whole ride, occasionally asking him to "say it again". He'd laugh and repeat the words, always tacking on a nickname like "babe" or "Rach" (the one time, he even said "Love you, my hot little Jewish-American Princess"). Every time he said it, she'd press just a little closer and smile, and he'd sit up just a little straighter and feel a little more comfortable with it.

He dropped her off in front of her house, and she paused outside the driver's door to kiss him goodnight. "Say it again?" She asked once more, biting her lower lip hopefully. He shook his head and leaned out the window, kissing her forehead.

"Love you." She squeaked happily, pecking him on the lips and running up the lawn to her front door.

Later that night, he lay in bed on the phone with her (they pretty much spent every night talking to each other until they fell asleep).

"Say it again."

"Love you, baby." She sighed dreamily and he heard rustling. He figured she was rolling over onto her side. They talked for a while, about stupid things like school and glee, and how Kurt was doing at Dalton. He casually let slip that he'd have the house to himself for the weekend, and remember how bad of a cook he was?, he'd probably just eat cereal the whole time, and just like that she promised to spend the weekend with him ('course, her dads would think she was over at Kurt's or some shit like that). He knew he didn't have to tease her to get her to come over, but he liked it. It was one of their things.

Finally, he heard her yawn, and her sleepy voice came over the line. "Say it one more time, Noah. I want to go to sleep with it in my head." He could see her in his head- burrowing deeper under her comforter, stuffed animals everywhere, head against the pillow, phone to her ear while her eyelids started drooping. He turned off his own light, climbed back into bed, and settled against the pillows, keeping her waiting. He heard her breathing, not quite even yet, and smiled to himself in the dark.

"Noah?"

"I love you, Rachel."

"I love you too, Noah."


	2. The Big White Envelope

Say It Again

Also known as "The four times Rachel Berry asked Noah Puckerman to 'say it again', and the one time he asked her.

Rachel shut her locker door and leaned against it, glancing up at Puck with a small smile. "Say it again, Noah."

He rolled his eyes and held out his arm for her to take so that they could walk to class. "Rach, c'mon."

"Please, Noah."

He sighed, but smiled. "I got into NYU." His smile widened as she leaned her head against his shoulder, a huge smile on her own face.

He hadn't told anyone he was applying to NYU- not Rachel, not his mom, not Finn, not even Mr. Schue. He hadn't wanted to get anyone's hopes up, even his own, until he knew he'd get in. So he'd sent in the application, and the essay, and waited. And two days ago, he'd gotten a big white envelope in the mail, congratulating him on his admission and letting him know all the paperwork he needed was enclosed. He'd hidden it under his pillow, not showing his mom. When it was still there in the morning, he knew it hadn't been a dream, and he'd done the first and only thing he could think of.

_He drove over to Rachel's at 6 am, knocked on the door until she'd come down, tired and confused, and then he'd shoved the envelope into her hands. She'd looked at it, confused at first, but when she saw the NYU symbol, she tore it open and read his acceptance letter. Then, she'd squealed in delight, dropped the envelope on the floor, and flung herself at him, arms going around his neck._

"_You're going to NYU!" She screamed, kissing him. _

"_I'm going to NYU." He confirmed, wrapping his own arms around her waist to keep her from unbalancing them and sending them to the floor._

_After a little more celebrating, she'd sat him down in the kitchen and cooked him waffles, all while he read over the paperwork and started filling it out. She danced around the kitchen in her pajamas, ecstatic and practically floating._

"_Say it again!" She declared, and he grinned._

"_I got into NYU!"_

At lunch, she sat perched on his knee at the glee table, like usual. He bit into one of her cookies while she munched on a carrot stick and the glee kids talked and laughed around them.

"Say it again, Noah." She murmured in his ear, one arm draped around his shoulders. He'd decided to tell the glee club about his good news during practice, but Rachel was so excited, it was hard to keep her from gushing about it.

He nipped at her earlobe with his teeth, making her squeal a little. "I got into NYU." He said lowly, for her ears only. She smiled and kissed him soundly on the mouth.

Later that day in glee, she sat next to him, nestled close, as they waited for the rehearsal to end so he could tell the club. As Mr. Schue dismissed them, he quickly stood and they made their way to the front of the choir room.

"I have some news." Puck said, and everyone got quiet.

"Oh, no." Kurt said under his breath.

"Not another Babygate." Mercedes whispered. Rachel rolled her eyes, as did Quinn, and Puck glared at them.

"I, uh- I applied to some colleges, and I heard back from one." He glanced at Rachel, who was beaming at him, and continued. "I got into NYU. I'm going to New York in the fall." When everyone remained silent, he glanced at Rachel again. She was still smiling.

"Say it again, Noah!" He grinned hugely, feeling that rush of excitement he'd had when he'd first gotten the envelope.

"I'm going to NYU!" He punched the air with his fist, and Mike whooped. Finn and Sam cheered, and Quinn got up to give him a hug. Everyone started congratulating him, and it felt great. Throughout it all, he kept his eyes on Rachel as she smiled at him, the pride in her eyes evident.

"I'm going to NYU." He said to himself. "I'm going to NYU."


End file.
